What makes a book a GOOD book?
For me, a good book is one I can’t stop reading. It’s a book that I stay up late reading because I keep saying “just one more chapter, then I’ll go to sleep.” A good book is a story that sticks with you long after you are done reading it.
I read a lot of books. I like gritty, well-written mystery/suspense books. Sometimes they can be a little graphic, which I know is not for everyone. I also love books that evoke serious emotions while reading it. These are the ones that stay with me for a long time.
Since I’ve already done full reviews on these books in previous posts, I won’t do it again here. But I did want to share my favorite 10 books of 2017. These are books that were so beautifully written, so poignant, so important in some way, that I hope everyone reads them! You can follow me on Goodreads, too.
Without further ado, the BEST BOOK I read of 2017 was LUCKY BOY.
1 ) Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran
Most heart-breaking and most heart-warming story
2 ) The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld
Most Beautifully Written
3 ) Something Like Happy by Eva Woods
Most “Feel Good” book with a great message
4 ) Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Best characters
5 ) Stillhouse Lake #1 by Rachel Caine
Most exciting, can’t-stop-reading book
6 ) Say Goodbye for Now by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Best story that stays with you
7 ) The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood
Best Happy Tear-Jerker
8 ) The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Best book about grief, healing, motherhood and love
9 ) Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Best social movement/social justice book
10 ) Arrowood by Laura McHugh
Best gothic/atmospheric thriller
Happy reading!
emmaclaire
Thanks for the end-of-year recap, Lisa! I have most of these books on my hold list thanks to your recommendations 🙂 My payback recommendation is one my book club just finished “House at the Edge of Night” by Catherine Banner. It takes place on a small island in Italy and follows a family through 3 generations. It was a great read! Next up we’ll be reading “Sing, Unburied, Sing”, a recent National Book Award winner, by Jesmyne Ward. It will be a good one to start the new year with.
Happy reading!
Lisa Eirene
Thank you for the recommendations! I just added them to my goodreads!
Carrie @ Season It Already!
Thanks, as always, for your lists (and your whys!) I loved Lucky Boy and several of the others are on my TBR list. Still, you gave me a few new ones to check out! Here are a few of the best I read this past year: https://seasonitalready.com/2018/01/03/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017/
Lisa Eirene
Thanks for the link! I will check out your list.